Headmistress Elara's office was a space of quiet authority. Crystaline artifacts cast a warm glow in the space. Light from the moons outside filtered through the stained-glass windows depicting serene images and scenes of the goddess and her saints, casting a warm glow on the polished mahogany desk where she sat.
Today ,she wasn't wearing her wimple and her silver hair was impeccably styled,her expression, though kind, held the firm resolve of someone accustomed to command. She addressed Kojo, her voice a melodious cadence.
"Mr. Atari, welcome to Luminaria Academy. As you know, this institution holds a place of high esteem, and we expect our faculty to uphold the highest standards. There are rules and regulations, of course, regarding student conduct, dress code, and curriculum. I trust you've had a chance to review the faculty handbook?"
Kojo, sitting on the chair in front of the desk with an easy confidence that bordered on nonchalance, nodded.
"A bit," he said, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "And while I can't promise I'll be a good example for the next generation, I'll try to keep the chaos to a minimum."
Elara's lips curved into an amused smile. There was something about this young man's laid-back demeanor that was…refreshing, if slightly unorthodox.
"I appreciate your…candor, Mr. Atari. Now, let me direct you to your classroom. It's on the first floor of the Theology and Arcane Studies building." She gestured towards the door. "I would escort you myself, but as you can imagine, I have a rather…demanding schedule."
"No need to trouble yourself, Headmistress," Kojo replied, waving a dismissive hand.
"Wouldn't want to interrupt your flow. I'm sure I can find my way. Besides, a busy woman like you..." He trailed off suggestively, earning another chuckle from Elara.
"Very well, Mr. Atari. I trust you'll have a pleasant stay at Luminaria."
Kojo flashed her a grin and a two-fingered salute. As he walked out, Elara shook her head, a genuine smile gracing her features. She hummed a little tune as she returned to her work, a sense of intrigued anticipation filling the air.
Kojo strolled down the hallway, a picture of casual disarray against the backdrop of austere academia. He was engrossed in a pamphlet, one of those cheerfully illustrated guides given to new faculty, detailing the labyrinthine layout of the academy. His free hand was tucked into the pouch of his oversized chrome-grey sweater, a habit that gave him the air of a student rather than a teacher.
"According to Ms. Boss Lady, my burden...I mean, my class, is on the first floor of the Theology and Arcane Studies building. Only thing is I don't know where the building itself is." Kojo muttered, his voice a low rumble.
(Sounds about right. This place has the same soul-crushing structure as your average university back on Earth. Surprising isn't it?)
"Yeah, you're not wrong," Kojo agreed, glancing around. The students, clad in somber grey robes, moved with an almost spectral silence, blending seamlessly with the moonlit night visible through the tall, arched windows, the soft fall of snow outside, and the cold, unyielding marble walls.
"It's…strangely fitting."
(Even back on Earth, the big league schools had their students wear uniforms. And besides, you're the one who looks out of place here.)
Kojo looked up from his pamphlet, finally taking in his surroundings. He couldn't help but notice the curious stares, the lingering glances, especially from the female students and teachers. He sighed dramatically.
His attire, a stark contrast to the prevailing uniformity, was certainly…eye-catching. Lin, in her infinite wisdom,
(and questionable fashion sense),
Had insisted on making a "good first impression." This involved making him to create a whole wardrobe with his threads and forcing him to change from the fur coat he had worn since coming to Ezkanur into the aforementioned oversized sweater, a pair of ash-colored tactical cargo pants, and black high-top sneakers with white soles. As a final touch, she'd pulled his unruly white hair into a sleek ponytail, adding a few braids adorned with gold rings and braiding his bangs back from his face. Kojo had protested, arguing that he looked like a wierd cosplayer, but Lin had simply huffed and declared that he needed to look "dignified."
"Dignified," Kojo muttered under his breath, feeling the weight of the unwanted attention. Just then, his path was blocked by two young men, their expressions confident and self-assured. Kojo raised his head, his eyebrow arching in a silent question.
(Oh, great. Is this the 'rich snob tries to intimidate the new kid' cliché?)
"Looks like it," Kojo replied, his voice laced with weary resignation. He really wasn't in the mood for a confrontation, especially not with a couple of entitled teenagers. If Lin or Yuki got wind of him getting into a brawl on his first day…he shuddered at the thought. He opened his mouth to defuse the situation, but the boy in front spoke first.
"Excuse me, sir," the boy said, his tone surprisingly polite. "I apologize for disturbing you."
Kojo blinked in surprise. This wasn't how these encounters usually started.
"We couldn't help but notice that you look quite different from the other faculty," the boy continued.
Kojo's eyes narrowed slightly, a flicker of suspicion in his gaze.
The boy quickly raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Oh, no offense intended, sir! We were just wondering…are you by any chance Kojo Atari?" he asked, his voice filled with a hopeful enthusiasm.
Kojo stared at him, stunned.
"So what if I am?" he asked, his voice suddenly low and threatening.
The boy's face lit up, and he grabbed Kojo's hands in a surprisingly firm grip. "It's really you! It's so nice to meet you! We heard a powerful mage from Archadia would be joining the academy, but we didn't expect someone so…so…"
"Cool?" Kojo offered, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"Amazing!" the boy exclaimed, his eyes wide with admiration.
The other boy, who had been standing silently by, finally spoke up, tapping his friend on the shoulder.
"Lambert, show some respect. You're not being courteous to our sensei."
Kojo's confusion deepened. Sensei?
The boy bowed deeply, a flush of embarrassment creeping up his neck.
"My apologies, Sensei. I got a little carried away. I'm Lambert Beaumont," he said, gesturing to himself, "and this is my friend, Latif Dubois."
Kojo let out a long breath, the tension draining from his shoulders.
(Well, this is a surprise. I expected a cliche.My bad.)
Lambert asked where he was headed and Kojo told them that he was looking for class 3 in the Theology and Arcane studies block. Lambert was too excited to speak but Latif, ever the picture of decorum, politely offered that they escort Kojo to his classroom.
Kojo, still slightly bewildered by the turn of events, nodded and followed the two boys as they chattered excitedly about how thrilled they were to be his students and what they hoped to learn from him. Kojo simply buried his hands deeper into his sweater pouch and muttered, "We shall see." With a shrug.
They entered the classroom, a large, tiered space with desks arranged in ascending rows, like a miniature amphitheater. Most of the students were gathered in small groups, talking amongst themselves, their voices a low buzz of youthful energy.
Valeri, as usual, sat alone in the corner of the room, her head buried in a thick tome, seemingly oblivious to the surrounding noise. She raised her head briefly as Lambert burst into the room, his usual boundless energy even more pronounced, and glanced at someone in the doorway. She rolled her eyes.
That boy had too much energy, she thought. But then again, he seemed more excited than usual. She wondered who he was talking to and saw Latif walk inside. He told the class to settle down but no one paid him any mind, with only a few boys cracking jokes at him. Valeri looked at him, wondering why he was even bothering when she noticed a third person standing in the doorway. She held her breath as Kojo walked into the class. He came to stand in front of the teacher's desk at the front of the class. Some of the students muttered, wondering who he was, and some of the boys still cracked jokes, but generally, everyone ignored him. Lambert again tried to get their attention, but his efforts were in vain.
(So, how are you planning on getting their attention? Yell? Throw a textbook?)
Kojo considered his options.
"I could just ignore them until the day is over and go home," he mused, "but the Headmistress wouldn't be too happy about that. And for some reason, I can't bring myself to disappoint her. At least not on the first day. Man,how I wish Vanessa was more demure like Ms. Elara."
Back in Archadia,Vanessa sneezed in her office.
" Are you feeling alright?" Maxwell asked her.
" I'm fine." She said waving her hand dismissively.
(Of course,men always fall for a mother figure' trope hence your first one.) Sysia scoffed.
Kojo frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"
(Nothing. Just thinking out loud.)
Kojo sighed, deciding to ignore her cryptic comment.
"Besides," he continued, "if I ditched these kids, Lin and Yuki would never let me hear the end of it" he sighed.
" This whole 'teaching gig' is seriously limiting my freedom ."
( True, it is gonna be a bit of a sticky one.)
"You have no idea," Kojo groaned.
"And what am I even supposed to teach these kids anyway?"
(Baby steps. First, introduce yourself. I'll cook up a lesson plan while you do.)
"You're a lifesaver, Sys."
(Yeah, yeah.) Sysia said but he could feel a hint of satisfaction.
Kojo looked at the class, his gaze sweeping over the sea of disinterested faces.
"They all look the same age as my current form, so they'll probably not take me seriously unless I do something catchy." Kojo muttered.
He briefly considered using 'Fear' to command their obedience, but Sysia quickly shot down that idea.
( Don't.)
" Why not?"
( People don't remember the sensation of fear, but they remember that they were afraid..... and, what they were afraid of. You want respect, not terror.)
Kojo thought about it for a moment.
"Yeah, you're right. Probably not the best way to start things off."
He noticed the girl in the front row corner, the one who had been so engrossed in her book, was now looking at him intently. On a whim, he winked at her, causing her to immediately look away, her cheeks flushed crimson. Kojo smirked.
He removed his hands from his sweater pouch and rubbed them together, gathering a small amount of energy. Then, with a sharp clap, he released it. The resulting shockwave didn't cause any damage, but it did something far more unsettling: it distorted all the sound in the room. The students' chatter became a garbled mess, bouncing off the walls and creating bizarre chorus of distorted voices before slowly fading,creating a temporary vacuum of silence before dissipating entirely. The effect was disorienting, even painful as it caused everyone to experience a strong buzzing sensation within their heads. Every student in the room, even Valeri, snapped their heads towards the front of the class, their expressions a mixture of shock and confusion.
Kojo, taking advantage of the stunned silence, jumped backward, landing gracefully on the teacher's desk in a casual sitting position. He leaned forward, his gaze sweeping across the room, a confident grin spreading across his face.
"Hello everyone," he announced, his voice clear and resonant.
"My name is Kojo Atari, and for the next few weeks, I'm going to be your homeroom teacher."